Switch-actuating mechanism



Feb. 23 1926. 1,573,904

c. N. BERGMANN SWITCH ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 25, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

w'wja MM) Feb. 23 1926.

c. N. BERGMANN SWITCH ACTUATING' MECHANISM s sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1922 m -!IIIIIII/ 5lit!!!Illillllllliilfllll' lll'l INVEN TOR.

.Feb. 23 1926.

C. N. BERGMANN SWITCH ACTUATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 23, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb, 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHRISTIAN N. BERG-MANN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PACKARD ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF WARREN, OHIO.

SWITCH-ACTUATING MECHANISM.

Application filed February 28, 1922. Serial No. 538,721;

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN N. Bunc- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Alleghen and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SwitcZh-Actuating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of switches, and particularly to switches utilizing a plurality of actuating elements for opening and closing a corresponding number of circuits.

The invention has in view to provide provide means whereby but one selected switch may be operated at a time, during which the others are locked against operation. subject to the manipulation of a controlling element. The invention as disclosed in the present application is constructed with particular reference to use with a weather'- proof plug or other switch of the selector type, for use in connection with transformers or similar mechanism, but it will be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited thereto, and is capable of various uses and applications, as will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawing, illustrating the invention in one preferred form or construction.

Fig. 1 is a View showing the switch in elevation as located within a transformer or other case of standard construction;

Fig. 2 is a view of the switch detached, in vertical section, indicated by the line Il-II of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line IVIV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing the operating handle;

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views, showing the mechanism as utilized in connection with a knife. switch in closed and open positions respectively;

Figs. 8 and 9 are further detail views showing modified construction of interlocking mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the central locking element;

Fig. 11 is a. sectional detail view showing a modified construction of handle connection with the switch rod;

Fig. 12 is a detail view showing means for locking the handle in lowered position.

The switch mechanism as a whole constitutes a separable unit adapted to be supported by a transverse plate 2, upon the upper terminal flange 3 of a transformer case 4, or other suitable element. Plate 2 is fixedly secured in position by bolts, as shown, and constitutes the supporting base for a plurality of housing tubes or guides 55, which are fixedly connected with the plate 2 by welding at the points 6 where they pass through the plate, or in any other suitable manner. whereby to provide a rigid and fluid tight connection.

As thus mounted, the tubes 5 extend downwardly and upwardly below and above the plate for ample distance to ensure positive vertical movement, within the guiding tubes, of the inner cylindrical stems or rods 7. These, as shown, are of wood or other suitable insulating material provided at their lower ends with terminal ferrules 8, of copper or other good conducting material, adapted to close the circuit between the terminal sockets 9-1O so as to establish circuit therebetween, andthrough the conductors 11-12 respectively. Such arrangement is for carrying out the intended purpose of whatever electrical equipment the invention is used with, as connection with the 'primary or secondary windings of the transformer. These contact members are rigidly mounted upon depending bars 13, of wood or other suitable insulating material, fixedly connected with the lower portions of tubes 5 by clamps 14 having tightening nuts 15 positively and rigidly connecting the upper ends of depending bars 13 in alinement with the adjustable stem 7, so as to maintain its terminal 8 in operative relation to the co-acting terminals 910.

As shown, a plurality of the stems 7 and their guiding and supporting tubes 5 are located annularly around the center of plate upper terminal of the upwardly extending fit] tube 5, so that, as stem 7 is moved upwardly or,.downwardly, there is continuously maintained between the interior cavity below plate 2 and the exterior thereof, a fluid tight and weather proof connection. Thls feature is of advantage and importance, especially in transformer application where it is important to prevent the entrance of any moisture to the interior.

For the purpose of manipulating the stem 7, it is provided with an outer upper handle portion consisting of a barrel section 19 which may conveniently be made of a section of pipe or tubing threaded at each end and provided with the upper cap 20 and a lower similar cap 21, apertured at 22 for clearance and free movement along the exterior of tube extension 5. addition to providing a manipulating handle, also serves with caps 20 and 21 to enclose and protect the interior and the stufiing box from entrance of moisture. The upper end of ferrule 16 is in threaded connection with a disk 23 which is secured between the upper end of tube section 19 and the end of cap 20, so that when the latter is screwed tight, it will hold the disk 23 and its connected stem in fixed connection with the upper end of the handle portion.

The lower cap 21 is of cylindr cal form and oif-set, as shown, from the tube 5 which it embraces a considerable distance, thereby providing an abutment or shoulder which is utilized for engagement by the central locking element, whereby to hold the handle and its connected stem in an upper or open position, until the central locking element is actuated. Said locking element consists of a disk 24 having an upwardly extending manipulating stem 25 and a lower mounting stem 26 rotatably set in an upwardly extending supporting post or stud 27 extending rom plate 2 and secured therein from below by bolt 27 (see Fig. 2). The base of post 27 is firmly welded or otherwise connected to plate 2 so as to provide a weather tight construction and rigid connection between the two. v

Disk 24 is provided at its edge with a recess or socket 28 conforming to the curvatureof lower cap 21, with slight clearance, the remainder of the disk being continuously annular. In Its operative pos tion, the disk Section 19, in'

By such construction, it will therefore be obvious that when the lock is in reloasing position for any one of the switch actuating stems, the others are rendered inoperative, and will remain so until such stem has been raised to the limit of its upward movement, due to the engagement of the inwardly extending lower lip of cap 21 against the bottom edge of the gland or cap 18 of the stuffing box. The controlling disk 24 may be again rotated toregister with either of the other handle elements,

whereupon, that particular switch may be operated, and the others are locked agamst movement in the same way.

In Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown the lower end of the thrust rod 7 pivotally connected at 29 with a link 30,-similar'ly connected at 31 with the arm of an ordinary knife switch 32 pivoted at 33 to a bracket mounted upon the supporting bar 13". The construction and operation of the device otherwise is generally as above described, effecting the opening and closing of the knife switch to break and make the circuit by vertical manipulation of the particular handle member for the particular switch.

In Fig. 8, I show a modified arrangement for controlling a plurality of handles 19, of the same general construction as above described, or located continuously in the arc of a circle, closely adjacent to each other and controlled by an annularly swinging bar 24 having a registering notch 28, and mainpulated by any suitable means, as a handle controlled stem 34.

In Fig. 9, the switch handles 19 are arranged in a straight line and are similarly controlled by a straight reciprocable bar 24 having a notch 28 and sultable actuating mechanism.

lVith such construction, the operation and function of the device may be readily 1 performed, in connection with the particular contact mechanlsm shown, or any other with sion 5", however, is not provided with a stufiing box or packing, and the tubular skirt 19 merely encloses it telescopically, without the lower terminal cap 21. In such construction, I utilize a limiting abutment as a pin 21, adapted to engage the lower edge of lower tube 5, as shown, to arrest undue upward movement of the stem. The section 19 will quite effectually prevent the entrance of moisture and keep the operative connection in good weather proof condition at all times.

If it is desired, either one of the thrust rods may be locked in switch closing position by means of a padlock 37, as in Fig. 12. In such case, the hasp of the lock engages a projecting lug 35 ot' the lower cap 21 in connection with a co-acting anchoring lug 36 extending upwardly from the plate .2, whereby to effectually prevent unauthorized opening of the switch. Any other suitable locking device may, of course, be substituted.

The invention may be variously changed or modified by the skilled mechanic or electrician in various details of construction, but all such are to be considered as within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is: a

1. A switch mechanism including a supporting structure, a plurality of reciprocable switchoperating members having lateral abutments thereon, and means for selectively controlling the reciprocable movement of said switch operating members, comprising a. movable locking member extending into the path of movement of said abutments, said member having a clearance opening therein which may be brought. by movement of said locking member to register with any one of the plurality of operating members, said clearance opening permitting the movement of the abutment past a locking member, whereby a selected one .of said switch actuating members may be operated, the abutment-s of the other operating members being obstructed by said locking member.

2. A switch mechanism including a supporting structure, a plurality of switch operating members arcuately disposed on the supporting structure and having lateral abut ments thereon, and means for selectively controlling the recipirocable movement of said switch operating members comprising a locking member on the supporting strmrture movable in an are. about a fixed center, said locking-member having a portion thereof extending into the path of movement of said abutments. said mcinber having clearance openings therein which may be brought. by movement of said locking member into register with any one of the plurality of operating members, said clearance opening permitting the movement of the abutment past the locking member, whereby a selected one of said switch actuated members may be operated, the abutments of the other operating members being obstructed by said locking member.

3. In combination, a supporting plate provided with rigidly connected tubular guides extending on opposite sides thereof, a plurality ot' reciprocable stems mounted in said guides and having laterally projecting handle port-ions, and a rotatable centrally arranged locking disk extending inwardly beyond said'abutments and provided with a clearance recess for one of said handle members.

4. In combination, a supporting plate provided with rigidly connected tubular guides extending on opposite sides thereof, a plurality of reciprocable stems mounted in said guides and having laterally projecting handle portions, a rotatable centrally arranged locking disk extending inwardly beyond said abutments and provided with a clearance recess for one of said handle members. and a contact supporting bar fixedly mounted on said tubular extension and supported thereby at the other side of said plate.

In a switch of the class described. a rigidly mounted guiding sleeve provided with and carrying a switch support, contacts thereon, and a switch closing rod reciprocably mounted in the sleeve.

(3. In a switch of the class described. a rigidly mounted guiding sleeve provided -with and entirely supporting a switch supporting member, contacts on said supporting member, and a switch closing rod reciprocably mounted in the sleeve and having a terminal circuit closing element co-opcrablc with said contacts.

7. In a switch of the class described, a rigidly mounted guiding sleeve, :1 switch supporting bar fixedly secured on said sleeve and entirely carried thereby and provided with contact.- dcvices, and a rod reciprocably mounted in the sleeve in alinement with the contact devices and having a circuit closing terminal.

8. In combination wit-h a tubular guide forming a. moisture excluding connection with the interior of a casing, a switch actuating stem extending therethrough, a stufting box therefor. and an outer protecting shell connected with the stem and having a lower cap in sliding and protecting relation to the tubular guide.

9. In combination with a tubular guide forming a moisture excluding connection with the interior of a casing. :i switch actuatingstem extending tbercthrough. and an outer protecting shell connected with the stem and tclcscopingover the tubular guide.

10. In combination with a tubular guide providing a moisture excluding connection with the. interior of a casing, and a switch llll actuating stem extending therethrough, said stem having a lower cap in sliding and protecting relation to the tubular guide.

11. Switch controlling mechanism consisting of a plurality of reciprocable circuit establishing stems each having an annular abutment, a controlling locking device therefor having an interfering flange provided with a clearance recess, whereby to release one of said handles and lock the others, and 10 means for locking the released handle in circuit closing position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CHRISTIAN N. BERGMANN. 

